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How Does the Fitbit Versa Stack Up Against the Apple Watch?

Physical fitness is an effective way to increase levels of creativity, concentration and mental stamina. As those qualities can have an overwhelmingly positive impact on productivity, maintaining a physically active lifestyle is in the best interest for small business owners and their employees. One way to bolster that effort is to purchase a quality fitness tracker like a Fitbit Versa or an Apple Watch. However, which fitness tracker is best?

Fitbit Versa

At $199, the Fitbit Versa is a handsome, well-equipped and affordable option for fitness enthusiasts. It offers a wide range of health-improving analytics including heart rate and exercise tracking, a sleep cycle catalog, a calorie monitor and female health tracking. It also features an on-screen workout guide, exercise reminders and a guided breathing trainer. In terms of more general smartwatch benefits, the Versa features Bluetooth connectivity, storage capacity for up to 300 songs, waterproofing for up to 50 meters, wireless payment capability and a phenomenal four-day battery life.

However, for all its cutting-edge benefits, the Versa does have a few key drawbacks, most of which are related to the design meant to best work with a smartphone. For instance, Fitbit’s latest track does not have independent GPS capability, stream music or provide calling, texting or social media and email notifications.

Apple Watch (Series 3)

With the newest iteration of its acclaimed smartwatch, Apple has created a device that can effectively replace consumers’ cell phones. The Apple Watch Series 3 boasts the ability to make and receive calls and texts, provides access to groundbreaking digital personal assistant Siri and stream more than 45 million songs via Apple Music. The Series 3 also includes a number of fitness tracker attributes including GPS and altimeter functionality to track steps taken and calculate distance traveled. It provides a smart coaching app that maximizes the effectiveness of each individual workout and gives users the ability to share and compare daily activities with other Apple Watcher wearers.

The biggest concern with the Apple Watch Series 3 has to do with the fact that it’s designed to be a smartwatch, not just a fitness tracker. As such, it’s heavier, bigger and has less battery life than the Versa, and at $399 for its cellular model, it's $200 more expensive than Fitbit’s latest and greatest.

The bottom line

So, which is better the Fitbit Versa or the Apple Watch Series 3? It comes down to each individual purchaser’s needs. Those who are interested in getting the most robust fitness analytics and insights should side with the Versa. However, entrepreneurs who want more general functionality in their fitness tracker should choose the Series 3.

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